Helpful ReplyI despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different

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sharke
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2015/05/21 23:08:28 (permalink)

I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different

I haven't used ACT for a while but tonight I thought I'd get it all set up again. The last time I tried I ended up highly frustrated and I'm afraid it's going the same way tonight. This has to be one of the most user unfriendly programs of all time and I hate it. 
 
I have my A-800 PRO correctly set up as a surface controller. I have the A-PRO properties page open and all I'm trying to do is map some Massive knobs to it. So I have the B3 "Synths" button selected, and the R1 rotary is currently mapped to the pitch control of OSC1 in Massive. I'm trying to reassign R1 to Filter 1's cutoff control. Should be a simple procedure, so....
 
I enable the ACT Learn button on the Massive window and it lights up blue. I move the cutoff knob and then move my R1 rotary. Then I turn the ACT Learn button off. A message says "1 Parameters and 1 Controls were touched. Do you want to keep these assignments?" Why YES! Yes I do...
 
But it's done NOTHING. The R1 knob is still mapped to the OSC1 pitch control and nothing has been reassigned. 
 
So then after some experimentation I find that I can sometimes map certain rotaries to certain massive controls, but other times it just ignores the new assignment and keeps the old one. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to it at all. Sometimes assignments are recognized, other times they're not. It seems to be virtually impossible to map the rotaries to the controls I want with any kind of reliability. I hate thing thing, I really do! Mapping of synth and effect controls to your keyboard is perhaps my least favorite area of Sonar and I have to say, it really stunts my musical creativity because I shy away from these performance areas of my music due to the horrible way in which Sonar handles them. It really is time for Sonar to move into the 21st century when it comes to hardware control of synths and effects. Rant!
 
Trying the same thing with FM8 and it's the same crap - sometimes an assignment will get "stuck" and I can't change it to any other synth knob, but if I keep trying to assign the rotary to random synth controls then eventually one of them will work and effectively "unstick" the assignment that was stuck, but again it just seems totally random. I've wasted way too much time on this tonight. 
 
post edited by sharke - 2015/05/21 23:16:48

James
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#1
sharke
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/21 23:31:12 (permalink)
And another thing. Automating controls of 32-bit synths which are not compatible with ACT! For instance I used the excellent VB-303 which is 32 bit and naturally I'd love to be able to map the cutoff to a rotary (who wouldn't). Since ACT doesn't work I tried to make a control assignment on the synth rack. This doesn't work either. The only automation access I have to is via the automation envelope on the MIDI track - here I can select the cutoff control. But I don't want to draw the freakin envelope, I want to perform it with my rotary. Surely the possibility exists in theory to send the controller data from my A-PRO to the automation lane to draw the envelope? Why isn't it as easy as making a quick assignment from the controller to the envelope, enabling write, hitting play and performing the knob movements to draw the envelope?  In other words, why does the controller data have to go to the synth via ACT, when it could just go to the automation lane and draw the envelope, which in turn controls the synth? 

James
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#2
mudgel
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 00:09:16 (permalink)
If you have the controller setup doesn't it control whatever has focus. I didn't realise it required to be setup via ACT.

Mike V. (MUDGEL)

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#3
icontakt
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 02:03:27 (permalink)
Can you try with CW synths? I also use A-800Pro and can confirm that ACT Learn works as expected with Studio Instruments. Tried with Kontakt, too, and it works as expected with Kontakt libraries (but not with 3rd-party libraries).

Tak T.
 
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azslow3
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 03:09:44 (permalink)
sharke
Trying the same thing with FM8 and it's the same crap - sometimes an assignment will get "stuck" and I can't change it to any other synth knob, but if I keep trying to assign the rotary to random synth controls then eventually one of them will work and effectively "unstick" the assignment that was stuck, but again it just seems totally random. I've wasted way too much time on this tonight.

The same.
 
sharke
And another thing. Automating controls of 32-bit synths which are not compatible with ACT! For instance I used the excellent VB-303 which is 32 bit and naturally I'd love to be able to map the cutoff to a rotary (who wouldn't).

It is the same as with previous. I have just installed VB-303. The first attempt to ACT Learn has produced no visible results. But after Sonar restart I could see that is really REMEMBERED the Learn, but not activated it immediately. After that I could Learn "normally" (with usual ordering bug).
 
icontakt
Can you try with CW synths? I also use A-800Pro and can confirm that ACT Learn works as expected with Studio Instruments. Tried with Kontakt, too, and it works as expected with Kontakt libraries (but not with 3rd-party libraries).

Do you observe the ordering bug? I mean in case you assign some controls in forward direction, f.e. R1,R2,R3, it is reversed after Sonar restart, so it will be R3,R2,R1?
I have no confirmation that other have it the same way, while I see it since X1.
 
Since the time I "invented" it, I mostly use my "ACT Speed Dial" solution (one encoder control whatever ACT parameter touched by mouse). Recently together with "Save/Recall", so I can "remember" several parameters during one session, without touching ACT assignment.
 
Long term workaround for the mapping problem, specially with VST3 (which confirmed by other does not work at all), is editing XML file.
 
In Sonar ACT mapping (when it works at all) can be done inside my plug-in. Here you see the whole mapping and can "learn" control by clicking on button instead of turning hardware knob. That way the parameter which was mapped before is not "touched" and you can do the whole assignment just with mouse. ACT assignment is global (in theory not really, in practice per surface assignments are not used, at least for me), so you can reassign in my plug-in, not connected to any hardware surface, and use the result with other (original APro).
 
 

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reactorstudios
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 05:44:46 (permalink)
I have every single one of the problems noted by sharke. ACT is simply terrible.
I must say I always envied the Cakewalk/Roland controller users, though, because I figured they at least had controller presets that allowed ACT mapping of all of the knobs, sliders and buttons on their controller.
I always had my Axiom configured as three distinct ACT controllers in order to get everything mapped.
My apologies to Sharke, but I feel a bit better knowing the grass wasn't any greener...

I grabbed azslow3's plugin a few weeks back and am really blown away by how well it works. It comes with a bit of a learning curve on account of how flexible and powerful it is, but az has a great collection of how-to's and configuration tips on his(?) website to help with that. I can't recommend it highly enough.

reactor.
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#6
sharke
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 07:25:00 (permalink)
I will take a look at azslow3's plugin.

But really, I urge Cakewalk to address this issue because unless they do something to make this area of synth control more foolproof and user friendly, they're never going to win favor with the younger market for whom VST/controller performing is a huge part of their music.

Basically the way I look at it is this (perhaps someone can correct me);

* Sonar is capable of capturing controller data from a control surface
* Synths and effects reveal their controls to Sonar and can be "played" with an automation envelope
* Sonar should be capable of mapping a control surface to an automation envelope and thus mapping the control surface to the VST (since you can move the VST parameter by moving the automation envelope with your mouse.

Oftentimes you just want to perform a couple of controls on the synth, for instance cutoff and decay, and capture that performance in automation lanes. There is no way that should be as convoluted as it is. A quick MIDI learn on the envelope and we're off.

Assigning controls on the synth rack is OK I guess but it often doesn't work and is still too many steps. I would love to see something like I described above as part of an overall improvement of automation lanes in Sonar. Guess it's time to head over to Feature Requests....

James
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#7
Doktor Avalanche
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 07:29:42 (permalink)
I trust everybody updated their system program and drivers from the Roland site.
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icontakt
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 08:10:05 (permalink)
azslow3
icontakt
Can you try with CW synths? I also use A-800Pro and can confirm that ACT Learn works as expected with Studio Instruments. Tried with Kontakt, too, and it works as expected with Kontakt libraries (but not with 3rd-party libraries).

 
Do you observe the ordering bug? I mean in case you assign some controls in forward direction, f.e. R1,R2,R3, it is reversed after Sonar restart, so it will be R3,R2,R1?
I have no confirmation that other have it the same way, while I see it since X1. 

 
I just did a quick test (including restarting Sonar) with SI-Strings, and it's working as expected (meaning the order is still correct after restarting Sonar). But I admit that, although I spent a lot of time learning how to use A-Pro, I rarely record automation real-time using its controllers.
 
Anyway, I find ACT not very efficient too. Ironically, A-Pro (or any other keyboard controller, I suppose), which is a product developed by CW's ex-parent company, works better with Studio One, in which mapping is very easy and flexible.
 
 
Doktor Avalanche
I trust everybody updated their system program and drivers from the Roland site.

 
Oh yeah. The latest versions installed.
 
Driver: v1.0.1
System Program: v1.15
A-Pro Editor: v1.01
 
 

Tak T.
 
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#9
sharke
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 08:13:21 (permalink)
Doktor Avalanche
I trust everybody updated their system program and drivers from the Roland site.



Yes I did that last night, no difference. 

James
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BobF
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 08:16:38 (permalink)
There is a FR or three that would be worth finding and voting on if you hate it as much as some of the rest of us do. 

Bob  --
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#11
SGodfrey
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 08:34:46 (permalink)
I've also experienced the same inconsistencies with ACT on my APro.  I'd feel a bit better if I could predict what was going to work and what wasn't but I can't.  I'm with you Sharke!


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#12
jbow
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 08:57:46 (permalink)
I feel for you. I get frustrated a LOT, by a lot of things that either don't work right or I don't understand how to work them. I used to get so frustrated with one thing and then another when trying to learn to use a DAW,... I would work for hours, get nothing done, finally just quit before I resorted to using an hammer on the computer. Then I would be bust doing other things and try again in a month or so and by this time I'd forgotten anything I might have learned the last time. Thankfully it has gotten easier I no longer have to use a Midiman Mixim 10 or a JL Cooper MIDI Sync or other things like that.
 
Really, I am sorry to read this. I figured that a Roland keyboard made to use with Sonar would work flawlessly with ACT. You'd think it should be as easy as plug in and click a button or several but it should be easy and it should work.
I hope you get it working. Frustration is very frustrating.  
Schwartzhog seems to help sometimes, at least for me!
 
Julien

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azslow3
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 10:01:34 (permalink)
sharke
I will take a look at azslow3's plugin.
...
Oftentimes you just want to perform a couple of controls on the synth, for instance cutoff and decay, and capture that performance in automation lanes. There is no way that should be as convoluted as it is. A quick MIDI learn on the envelope and we're off.

That is exactly what "ACT Speed Dial"+Save/Recall does. I will prepare example preset soon.
Exact sequence of operations (once you configured things correctly, but that is one time operation): move "cutoff" press "Assign to R1" button, move "decay" press "Assign to R2" button. Done, R1 control "cutoff", R2 control "decay". ACT configuration does not change, no dialogs, no menu selections, no MIDI assignments in sonar (which sometime tricky to manage).
 
icontakt
I just did a quick test (including restarting Sonar) with SI-Strings, and it's working as expected (meaning the order is still correct after restarting Sonar).

Thanks! There is some hope I can find why it does not work for me.

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#14
ampfixer
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 12:28:07 (permalink)
azslow3
sharke
I will take a look at azslow3's plugin.
...
Oftentimes you just want to perform a couple of controls on the synth, for instance cutoff and decay, and capture that performance in automation lanes. There is no way that should be as convoluted as it is. A quick MIDI learn on the envelope and we're off.

That is exactly what "ACT Speed Dial"+Save/Recall does. I will prepare example preset soon.
Exact sequence of operations (once you configured things correctly, but that is one time operation): move "cutoff" press "Assign to R1" button, move "decay" press "Assign to R2" button. Done, R1 control "cutoff", R2 control "decay". ACT configuration does not change, no dialogs, no menu selections, no MIDI assignments in sonar (which sometime tricky to manage).
 
icontakt
I just did a quick test (including restarting Sonar) with SI-Strings, and it's working as expected (meaning the order is still correct after restarting Sonar).

Thanks! There is some hope I can find why it does not work for me.




What?, Where?, How?
 
This sounds like a silver bullet for my A PRO woes as others have described. Where does one find this program? I need it.

Regards, John 
 I want to make it clear that I am an Eedjit. I have no direct, or indirect, knowledge of business, the music industry, forum threads or the meaning of life. I know about amps.
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#15
djjhart@aol.com
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 12:42:15 (permalink)
Act has always been a major disappointment for me . about now we should have some give us a link to a whole process on how to use Act , and make us feel like theres nothing wrong .
Sharke said it correct , the new kids on the block aren't going to Go thru pages of setup when other daws really have 2 clicks .
Personally I use native map on my Komplete controller with the new update imo is insane , and if it's not a pluging with ultimate 10 or a midi learn right click , no controller gets used for mapping , I'll use the mouse , I don't feel like setting up act to have it fail on next reboot . Or not work at all and get frustrated n quit working on music , and that scenario has happened 100's of times . Thanks ACT. But we're. All wrong it works flawless right ?
post edited by djjhart@aol.com - 2015/05/22 12:48:49

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#16
azslow3
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 12:44:28 (permalink)
ampfixer
What?, Where?, How?

In one hour or so, here. The preset is already created, but I have to write the answer on "How?"
 
Please do not expect it is A-Pro full feature preset PLUS described functionality. It is ONLY described functionality.
 
I do not have APRO, but in case there is an interest I can create full scale preset for it. For "What?" you can visit my site (see the signature) and read about/manual/tutorials. Everything you can find there can be applied to APro or any other surface.

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#17
ampfixer
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 12:48:59 (permalink)
Thanks, I'll have a look!

Regards, John 
 I want to make it clear that I am an Eedjit. I have no direct, or indirect, knowledge of business, the music industry, forum threads or the meaning of life. I know about amps.
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#18
azslow3
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 12:52:23 (permalink)
djjhart@aol.com
Sharke said it correct , the new kids on the block aren't going to Go thru pages of setup when other daws really have 2 clicks .

Not DAWs, keyboard producers are more interested to be compatible with these DAWs.

Personally I use native map on my Komplete controller

And you have paid at most $250 for the device and the rest (you know how much) so it works in "2 clicks". Have you spend such money for Sonar? Are you ready to pay $500 so Sonar works with your Komplete in 2 clicks?



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#19
sharke
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 13:08:33 (permalink)
What makes the horror of ACT even worse is that the documentation is terrible. Searching for anything in the online help is frustrating because often you get stuck in endless circles of following links which just mention the subject in passing and then link you to another page which once again mentions it in passing and directs you to another page...often the one you started from. I've never been a fan of Cakewalk's online help, and Googling for stuff more often than not gives you links to help documents for older versions of Sonar. 
 
But even the manual PDF is frustrating, once you've actually managed to find the relevant chapter. For instance in setting up ACT for the A-PRO controllers, it says to make sure that A-PRO 2 is selected in the MIDI output dropdown. So I look and of course there IS no A-PRO 2 listed as a MIDI output, it's just a MIDI input. I actually had to read various Cakewalk users's guides to setting up ACT on the forum to find out that it's OK to select plain A PRO for the MIDI output.  

James
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#20
djjhart@aol.com
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 13:09:51 (permalink)
For sonar I spent a whole lot more. . Pre act I never had problems automating a parameter , midi learn worked flawless , since then it's been a crap shoot.. Komplete kontroller with ultimate which I allready owned was a great addition , for just using native map , your right it would be stupid to buy that for automation . But the light guide , smart play and now the fact everything outputs to midi is a bonus . I was looking for a new controller and the s49 was a perfect choice for me . Well worth the money ..and I never have a problem with automating any NI plugins .
When other 3rd party plugins join the Native map it will make it that much better .

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#21
djjhart@aol.com
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 13:14:23 (permalink)
In fact most used parameters are mapped on the controller and labeled for you to use , just arm automation and turn the knob . And yes in Komplete to , everything is mapped out in pages with an arrow .

Computer - Intel Q9550, Intel BX48bt2 MB, W8 64 bit. 8 gb Ram, SSD  
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#22
tlw
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 14:35:16 (permalink)
ACT has needed a re-write for years but never seems to get addressed by Cakewalk.
 
Even Novation's Automap, which has enough problems of its own, works better with Sonar than ACT does, or at least did the last time I used it.
 
It would help if ACT could be left displayed as a transparent window like Automap, once you start mapping lots of different stuff into ACT it becomes impossible to remember which control on the hardware is mapped to what and if the focus isn't where you think it is touching an ACT mapped control can cause chaos. Again, a see-through window would help because you could check what ACT is currently controlling. OK, you can put ACT on a separate screen to the main display, but not everyone has more than one display available all the time.

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#23
Doktor Avalanche
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 14:58:17 (permalink)
tlw
ACT has needed a re-write for years but never seems to get addressed by Cakewalk.


With the Roland disconnect from Cakewalk - do you think that will ever happen?
Who owns "ACT" ?
#24
azslow3
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 14:58:55 (permalink)
ampfixer
What?, Where?, How?

So, here and now: http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,206.0.html
 
djjhart@aol.com
For sonar I spent a whole lot more.

Are you sure? Please do not count DimPro, AD2, Rapture, Melodyne and ProChannel modules. That are separate products, can be used (except PC) with "2 clicks DAWs" as well. So, for SONAR itself not much money left, count the price of Artist only. And for that money the have to develop/support the program, many plug-ins, effects, sound library and.... control surface support.
 
Look at the price range of your new keyboard. "Fatar" price you can see from "no name" products with the same keys, add Nanokorg for controls and a bit for LCD display. So, most money are going into SOFTWARE, they charge you for supporting all that "2 clicks in other DAWs". But they do not want help you with Sonar and CakeWalk get nothing from that money as well. So, you have spend more money for software support of that one keyboard in other DAWs then for all versions of Sonar last several years. And you ask why CakeWalk does not provide "2 clicks" support for it. Is it fair?

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#25
azslow3
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 15:11:27 (permalink)
Doktor Avalanche
tlw
ACT has needed a re-write for years but never seems to get addressed by Cakewalk.

With the Roland disconnect from Cakewalk - do you think that will ever happen?
Who owns "ACT" ?

If information about ACT in the Internet is correct, it was introduced before Roland was connected to Cakewalk.
 
But ACT is just several calls in VST API exposed to CW Control Surface API. AKA Automap and Advanced. It looks like NI want another several calls from VST, I have not seen which one (since SDK was not yet published when I was checking the last time). So independent how different companies call it, the real code behind is going to be the same.

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#26
sharke
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 15:31:48 (permalink)
Doktor Avalanche
tlw
ACT has needed a re-write for years but never seems to get addressed by Cakewalk.


With the Roland disconnect from Cakewalk - do you think that will ever happen?
Who owns "ACT" ?




An ACT-style rewrite is one thing, but really what we need more than anything is a quick and easy way to map individual controllers to 
 
a) Sonar envelopes
b) Sonar controls
 
Right now there are "sort of" easy ways to do these things, but they don't always work and they're not always convenient. For instance you can set up Remote Control for any Sonar knob or slider, including Cakewalk's own ProChannel modules (but not any of the 3rd party PC modules). Just right click, select remote control, select Controller and then click Learn. But you can't save all of your mappings as a  preset, and I believe it would be relatively easy for Cakewalk to add functionality which would allow you to create presets consisting of multiple remote control mappings. A simple dialog box which would allow you to add or delete remote control mappings to a group and recall them at any time. 
 
Similarly, it should be child's play to map anything on your control surface to an automation envelope. If a plugin exposes its parameters to Sonar for automation envelopes, then you should be able to map a controller to that envelope. For example, if I can create an automation lane for a knob on a ProChannel module and then move that knob by moving the envelope up and down with my mouse, then there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to move that envelope up and down with a rotary on my control surface. All that's needed is a mapping between the envelope and the rotary. I can't imagine that this would be too complicated, and it would make controller mapping a breeze as long as a plugin or synth exposes its parameters to sonar for automation. When I first started using Sonar I was shocked that I couldn't just assign a controller to an automation parameter as easily as this, and it's bothered me ever since. 

James
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#27
Doktor Avalanche
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 15:59:21 (permalink)
Well somebody must own the Act brand... either Roland or Gibson... Must be there in the divorce papers somewhere...
#28
azslow3
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 17:33:21 (permalink)
sharke
Right now there are "sort of" easy ways to do these things, but they don't always work and they're not always convenient. For instance you can set up Remote Control for any Sonar knob or slider, including Cakewalk's own ProChannel modules (but not any of the 3rd party PC modules). Just right click, select remote control, select Controller and then click Learn. But you can't save all of your mappings as a  preset, and I believe it would be relatively easy for Cakewalk to add functionality which would allow you to create presets consisting of multiple remote control mappings. A simple dialog box which would allow you to add or delete remote control mappings to a group and recall them at any time. 
 
Similarly, it should be child's play to map anything on your control surface to an automation envelope. If a plugin exposes its parameters to Sonar for automation envelopes, then you should be able to map a controller to that envelope. For example, if I can create an automation lane for a knob on a ProChannel module and then move that knob by moving the envelope up and down with my mouse, then there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to move that envelope up and down with a rotary on my control surface. All that's needed is a mapping between the envelope and the rotary. I can't imagine that this would be too complicated, and it would make controller mapping a breeze as long as a plugin or synth exposes its parameters to sonar for automation. When I first started using Sonar I was shocked that I couldn't just assign a controller to an automation parameter as easily as this, and it's bothered me ever since.

Let me count clicks first (really counting clicks!)
Strip parameter - 4 clicks.
FX/Rack/Send/ProChannel parameter - 4+4= 8 clicks.
+2 clicks to switch between types.
So, at most 10 clicks per parameter. You can save the result as preset as well.
 
Remote control - 4 clicks.
 
You should also touch the control, but that is in both methods.
 
So,  10-4 you need 6 clicks. And you have what you want.

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#29
tlw
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Re: I despise ACT and I'm going to scrunch my face up until there's something different 2015/05/22 19:05:46 (permalink)
ACT predates Roland's ownership of Cakewalk by quite some time. Possibly a long time. The last time windows that look like the ACT were fashionable was the spectacularly ugly Windows 3.11.

I would imagine, unless the rights are with some third party developer like a few of the plugins, that ACT is still part of the Cakewalk assets.

It's immaterial in a way. When I said "ACT needs a rewrite" maybe that "British understatement" we on this side of the Atlantic are claimed to possess obscured my meaning.

So for the avoidance of doubt, by "rewrite" I meant ACT should be quietly taken outside and put out of its misery as fast as a replacement system can be put together and the replacement of ACT ought to be a priority.

The days of hardware controllers dedicated to specific DAW software are (with the exception of Live, which is a unique case) numbered I suspect. The future would appear to be remote control by touchscreen devices and easy integration of third party MIDI hardware controllers that can interface with anything that accepts MIDI input.

It's ridiculous that third party solutions such as Novation's automap and tablet apps like V-Control are better at controlling Sonar and plugins than Cakewalk's own software, and vastly more user-friendly as well.

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#30
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